A defining characteristic of Vermont is its long-standing love affair with hunting, an activity that many of the state’s citizens participate in every year. Vermont has hunting seasons for white-tail deer, black-bear, moose, geese, duck, coyote and more for all size of game. But if you want to go hunting in Vermont for something just a little bit bigger, and a little more wild, you need to hunt at Wild Hill Preserve in West Fairlee, Vermont.

The Northeast’s premiere animal game farm with over 2,000 acres of wild landscape covered in the deep boreal forests of Vermont, hunters can find russian boar, elk, bison, ram, goat, and even red-stag deer. “All the animals live together, they aren’t separated” explains Arlene Richter, wife of founder and life-long tracker Bill Richter. I had to pass a test when I spoke with Arlene, because they’d received bad press before and she didn’t want this to attract people who are anti-hunting. I assured her I was pro-hunting, and that it would not attract negative attention. Arlene was more than kind enough to speak with me.

“Bill’s been a guide since he was about 16, he was a guide in Alaska, and a bush pilot also, and he would guide up there for polar bear, caribou” she explains. “They decided to start something down here in this part of the country.” The land was bought in 1961, the fence went up, and the animals came in, starting with boar and goat.

“He had never hunted boar before, and there was no boar in the area,” she explains.

Many of those who travel to West Fairlee are from surrounding states, and according to Arlene probably only 10 percent are from Vermont. “Probably 75 percent come from New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.” Some have come from as far away as California and England, but regardless of where the hunter’s from one thing remains the same, “they basically come for the boar, it’s an exciting hunt and very good to eat.”

“From time to time they have to import animals, but the herd is quite large,” Arlene explains, but sometimes they lose animals to predation like coyotes.

“Coyotes get the deer, young sheep, things like that but they can even take down an adult deer in winter. Sometimes they can be a big problem.” Those deer are not standard white-tails found all around the state, but actually fallow and red Stag deer from Eurasia and Europe.

“The coyotes are getting very big because they have no natural enemies and are very well fed.”
For sleeping arrangements, Wild Hill offers cabins located just outside the preserve with basic accommodations and comes with the cost of the hunt. “I’ve never had anyone ask to sleep in a tent before” Arlene explained.

The price of the hunt depends on what game you want. A standard boar hunt is $750, bison ranges from $1350 to $3500 depending on size and maturity of animal, a red stag is $2,000 to $4,500, and the six types of ram and goats the Preserve has are $750 to $1,500. Elk hunts are the most expensive, ranging from $3,500 to $6,000 but for this price you really get what you pay for.

The animals at Wild Hill have a varied range of sizes and maturity, healthy populations, and you are guaranteed a quality animal when you hunt.

You’ll never go back to the cabin without an animal, and chances are the animal you take is going to be the one you want. Why spend all that time and money on a plane ticket to Alaska, when you’ve got a hunt in your own backyard at Wild Hill Preserve.

For me, traveling to a new place usually brings about a mix of two emotions: excitement and anxiety. I love being in new places, seeing the sights and how people live, but the hard part is always getting there.
For someone who has done more than her fair share of traveling, I have an embarrassingly irrational fear of flying. For the first eighteen years of my life, I made multiple solo trips to see family in California without breaking a sweat. It wasn’t until my freshman year of college when a flight home from San Diego turned into a 48-hour trip from hell, involving a night alone in a Newark hotel and a failed attempt to land in Boston in the middle of a blizzard, that the fear set it. While I’ll never turn down a chance to travel somewhere new and exciting, I now spend a lot more time and energy strategically planning exactly how I’ll get there.

On a recent trip to New York City, I spent hours carefully mapping out a plan to get me from my Burlington apartment, to a hotel in the New York’s Theatre district. The plan involved a bus, plane, Airtran, and subway, and ended with a walk through Times Square.

Before I left for my trip, I printed out maps of the area surrounding my hotel, the schedule for the subway, my boarding passes, and my hotel reservations. Sure, it was a little over the top, but I felt confident that I had flawlessly plotted my every move, not to mention the fact that I was determined to prove to my parents that their little girl from New Hampshire could take on the big city. The one thing I couldn’t print out from my computer, or prepare for, was the feeling of being surrounded by thousands of people, all of whom seemed to know exactly where they were going, while I stared up in bewilderment at the concrete jungle of New York City.

My first inkling that my master plan might need some tweaking came as a rode the Airtran connecting JFK airport to the subway, which in theory would bring me two blocks from my hotel. I overheard a TSA agent on the Airtran was warning a woman that taking the A train through Brooklyn (the train I planned to take) wasn’t a smart choice for a woman traveling alone. My heart started racing as I weighed my options: stick to my carefully mapped out plan, or trust that this man knew something that Google hadn’t told me about riding the subway. Choosing safety over pride, I spoke up and asked his advice for the safest way to get into the city.

As it turns out, the lost woman was from California, her daughter graduated from San Diego State, the school I went to before transferring to Champlain College, and she was just as clueless as I was when it came to getting around New York. So, we teamed up, took the advice from the TSA agent, and embarked on a search for the E train, which would bring us to the city via Queens.

While I credited coincidence for putting me next to my California friend, I had to hand it to an even higher power for bringing the next stranger my way. While I never found out her name, I’ll never forget the woman I met while pathetically attempting to find my way to the E train. It was because of her that I successfully bought a ticket, transferred lines, and made it through a finicky turnstile. She sat with me as we waited for our train to come, and stayed by my side until her stop in Forest Hills. Along the way, I learned about her job at the airport, her family, her upcoming vacation to Washington DC, and that we both shared a love for Taylor Swift and Cherry Blossom Trees. More importantly, I learned that while my father’s advice not to talk to strangers was well grounded, it was only because of a handful of strangers that I wasn’t alone on a train bound for Brooklyn.

The rest of the trip went smoothly, I easily found my hotel by following the numbered grid of the city streets, I met up with an old friend for dinner on the Upper East Side, and I found a bus that would take me directly to the airport for my return trip. I also got to spend a day at a writing conference for student newspaper editors at the New York Times (the reason for the trip), listening to veteran editors and writers at one of the most influential and successful newspapers in the world speak about their experience and offer invaluable advice.

No matter how much time I spent studying maps of the city before my trip, nothing could have prepared me for dealing with the unexpected bumps in the road. My advice when going somewhere completely foreign is to plan to change your plan. Know when to trust the advice of strangers, and when to swallow your pride. Enjoy the journey and the people you meet along the way. While the advice I got from editors at the New York Times was incredibly valuable, the guidance from, and subsequent friendship with the woman on the E train will prove to be just as significant.

When college students get bored and restless at the end of the spring semester, all we want to do is go outside and get away from all of the books. That is exactly what I did about two years ago and I am anticipating my second trip to Stowe this summer.

It was mid April and my friends and I were looking for something to do to escape our dorm rooms. We decided to take a road trip over to Stowe for the afternoon. After driving past the resort, we noticed a pull off area for hikers on the left hand side.

Of course we were interested and without a second thought, we all gathered our cameras and headed into the woods.

About 20 feet onto the trail we already got to see animals as well as some great forms created by nature.

We started to follow some trail markers, as the difficulties were noted at the base of the trails, and of course we followed the most difficult terrain. After about an hour we finally came across some streams and waterfalls, which were great to look at and take pictures of.

I would highly recommend this trail to anyone who is adventurous and loves to climb. The trails were usually full of rocks, roots, moss and loose leaves but it just made the hike more enjoyable. At some points there were logs and trees that we had to climb over and snow that we got to push through but we all worked as a team to make sure everyone was able to make it to the top.

The weather was perfect for hiking and the trail markers were extremely simple to follow until we started to reach the upper heights. Once we started to see snow again, we knew that we were getting close to the top. After aimlessly walking for hours, we knew that the end was going to be near and definitely worth the wait.

The snow was up to our waists at some points and I was in shorts, which made for a chilly hike to the top.

Once we got to the highest point we were so excited and exhausted from our three and a half hour trek up the mountain. The views were astonishing and we told ourselves that we would all go back again in the future to see if we could find that exact trail again.

In order to get down, we hiked down two double black diamond trails, crossed a stream or two and then continued down some blue square trails until we reached the parking lot of the resort.

This was definitely one of the best hiking experiences that I have had in Vermont. I recommend it to any single person or family if you are looking for something fun and adventurous for the day. Bringing lunch to the top is also a great idea as well.

Make sure you have enough water to keep you hydrated and light layers that are easy to store in your backpack, as you will get warm fairly quick.

The trails are on the left hand side of Rt. 108 after passing Stowe Resort. There is a bunch of free parking on the side of the road and a small map, which shows you the varying difficulties.

Hiking is a great way to get outside and enjoy the beautiful Vermont air. Even if you are only outside on the simplest trail for an hour, it is still a memorable experience.

I hope that you are able to get outside and give these trails a try. Have a happy and warm summer.

Localvores are people who believe in the importance of eating food that was grown and raised in their local area. It is a movement that has started to gain some power, especially in Vermont where there is so much local food to choose from. It might sound daunting, and somewhat diet restricting, but with a little research and dedication it can be a life changing decision.

Many Vermonters are challenging themselves to only eat and consume products that were grown, raised, or produced locally. Vermontlocalvore.org is a website that is dedicated to educating people about being a localvore and acts as a support site for people who are undertaking the challenge to eat locally.
Vermontlocalvore.org outlines why being a localvore is a good thing. Some of these reasons are that fewer resources are used to package and transport food, it supports the local economy, and it is healthier for you because there are far less processing and preservatives and it helps to keep a vibrant agricultural economy in the state.

Being a localvore might be the positive change that many are looking for, not only is it refining your diet and being more aware of what you eat, it is also a way of supporting local business on every level. However you may have to change where you shop, and many of your recipes, but websites like vermonlocalvore.org are full of useful and helpful information for people who are looking to become localvores. Even local restaurants are seeing the benefits in using locally grown and produced products. Not only does this also help benefit the local economy but it also makes it easier for people dedicated to becoming localvores to go out and eat! Vermont also has a huge selection of local beer and wine for localvores to enjoy.

After talking to so many local business owners in Vermont during the creation of this zine, I have become more determined to support the local economy. I am challenging myself to consume as many local products as possible, even if it means spending a little more at least I know where the money is going. That is the important part to me, and I hope that many others are starting to feel the same way. Supporting local farms and businesses will only make our state stronger, and healthier!

From the brightly colored homes to the ethnically diverse markets, the buildings and businesses of Burlington’s Old North End are as unique as it’s inhabitants. A Burlington Free Press article published on April 10, 2011 reported that the Old North End section of Burlington is the most diverse area in Vermont. Many of the North End’s residents are refugees from Asia and Africa and their influence is apparent; there are two Halaal markets within three blocks, countless Thai food restaurants, and even a center for the Association of Africans living in Vermont. However, the colorful blanket now draping the Old North End covers up a history of a very different group of people.

In the later half the 19th century, the Old North End was equally as diverse as it is today; but rather than representing Africa, Bosnia, Vietnam, and Somalia, immigrants who called it home were of French Canadian, Irish, and Jewish descent.

The Irish immigrants who first came in the 1840’s were vital to the Burlington economy; they made up the laborers in the lumber, shipping, and marble industries. However, they earned little money or respect from Burlington natives, thus finding refuge in the affordable but undesirable Old North End.
As Quebec’s population grew and land became scare, French Canadians also found a home in the Old North End and worked in the lumber yards. By 1920, Jewish immigrants rounded out the Old North End population. They opened department stores, built homes, and created religious centers, all contributing to their section of the Old North End, which earned the title “Little Jerusalem”.

The three groups lived harmoniously yet separately from each other, celebrating their individual cultures and religions in the Old North End. Together, they contributed to a community that harbored family traditions, but also offered a stable business environment.

Graduate students at UVM in the Historic Preservation Program focused multiple studies on the transformation of the Old North End. Their research revealed the untold history of the European immigrants, the one that lies beneath the brightly painted buildings that line the streets today. Their study compared photographs taken between 1920 and 1940 by Vermont photographer Louis L. McAllister, with current photos of the Old North End.

Until 1929, a streetcar system ran through the Old North End, connecting it to downtown Burlington. A picture taken of N. Winooski Ave in 1928 shows a set of trolley tracks embedded in the pavement. A shot from the same vantage point taken a year later shows only asphalt, with no trace of the tracks. The Burlington Horse Railway Company originally used the tracks for horse-pulled cars. Later, Burlington Traction Company used them for their streetcars to connect the Old North End neighborhoods with the rest of Burlington. The tracks disappeared altogether in 1929 when the Traction Company fell to the competition of the Rapid Transit Company and their motorized buses. The streetcar went out in a theatric display; the last car was set on fire and paraded down Main Street, symbolizing death of the city’s rail system.

Looking south from the corner of North Winooski Ave. and North St

Even when the streetcar disappeared, the Old North End was a vibrant community and lucrative center for business. Archivist Christina Dunphy has worked at Champlain College since 1998 and has spent years studying the history of Burlington, including the Old North End.

“Everything you needed was in the North End; it was a city within a city,” Dunphy explained. In fact, the business owners in the North End thrived through the 1960’s. Jewish-owned markets and department stores lined the streets. People actually stuck around the North End to do their shopping, rather than walking to the now popular Church Street Marketplace.

After World War II, the culture began to shift. Old North Enders started acquiring wealth and left in search of bigger homes and better business opportunity. With more money came more car owners; parking became scare in the Old North End, causing people to go elsewhere to do their shopping.

The popular Jewish-owned Mazel’s department store was a North Street staple until the 1960s, but business took a big hit when parking became scarce and Mazel moved his store down Route 2.

“The Jewish part is almost completely obliterated, people moved to the suburbs and acquired more wealth,” Dunphy said of the Old North End today. As shoppers left, so did most of the business, opting for more viable locations like Church Street.

“The majority of people deserted the North End for better homes, schools and businesses,” Dunphy said. They found this in the New North End and the South End of Burlington. This was the beginning of the cultural shift in the Old North End.

Just as the old streetcars tracks disappeared under a cover of pavement, the story of the Europeans and French Canadians is veiled beneath a new wave of immigrants. In the 1970’s and ’80’s, the Vietnam War displaced many refugees; some ended up in the North End. The same was the case for refugees from a war-torn Bosnia in the 1990s, and most recently for African immigrants. The face of the Old North End today is a colorful blend of unlikely culture in Northern Vermont, but the attraction for immigrants is the same as it was for Europeans and Canadians in the early 20th century: affordable housing and a place to call home.

It may not be the Wild West, and it may not be full of Cowboys and ranches, but Vermont has a rich horse culture that includes many different experiences for horse lovers of all ages. Vermont has a lot of horse farms, small and large across the state. If you are looking for a place to go on a scenic trail ride, see a demonstration, go on a sleigh or wagon ride chances are there is somewhere nearby for you to visit.

Vermont has some amazing views, forests and trails. The best way to see Vermont is on horseback, and there are many farms in the state that offer trail rides and overnight treks, stopping at nearby bed and breakfasts and even visiting local wineries. The Icelandic Horse Farm in Waitsfield, Vermont offers horse lovers a unique and exciting experience no matter what your level of riding is. The Icelandic Horse is one of the world’s oldest breeds of horse and was used by the Vikings in Iceland to travel over the rough terrain. They are very sturdy and strong horses, only standing at an average of 13 to 14 hands. What makes the Icelandic Horse so unique is that they are naturally five gated. Along with the usual walk, trot, canter, and gallop Icelandic horses also travel at a “tölt” which is a four beat running walk. The “tölt” is extremely smooth and easy to ride, making Icelandic horses comfortable during long treks. The Icelandic Horse Farm offers daily trail rides that will suit your riding level. They also offer two to six day treks, which take you across the Mad River Valley stopping at local Inn’s and restaurants. An Icelandic Horse Trek is a unique way to experience Vermont, allowing visitors to find many hidden treasures of Vermont along the way.

If you are looking for a more hands off approach, but still want an equine experience during your Vermont Vacation then there are many options for you as well. The Vermont Morgan Horse Farm and the Vermont Morgan Horse Museum are great places to visit where you can learn a lot about the Morgan Horse and the history of Vermont. The Morgan Horse Farm, located in Weybridge Vermont and operated by the University of Vermont is a beautiful farm to visit. At the farm visitors can tour the stables and learn about the different bloodlines that are perpetuated by the farm, including the Battell, Government and UVM bloodlines. The UVM “government” line of Morgan Horses is considered one of the best bloodlines in the world. At the farm you can meet some of the prize-winning stallions, and even enter the yearly foal raffle.

Just down the road in Middlebury, Vermont is the National Museum of the Morgan Horse. At the Museum you can learn about Justin Morgan, from Randolph, Vermont, and his horse Figure, the founding stallion of the Morgan breed. Visitors who own or know a registered Morgan horse can track their horses blood lines all the way back to Figure. “I bought a Morgan horse and went to the museum to see if he was registered. He was and we were able to see the names of all of the horses in his family tree,” says a horse owner visiting the museum. There is a lot of history behind the Morgan breed, the official horse of Vermont.

If you are looking for a little more action, but are still not ready to get on the back of a horse for a six day trek then make sure to check out the Rodeo at Pond Hill Ranch in Castleton, Vermont. The Pond Hill Rodeo Company has been producing rodeos for forty-one years. There are weekly rodeos on their ranch in Castleton every Saturday evening at 8pm from the first Saturday in July through Labor Day weekend. The rodeo events include Bareback Bronc Riding, Calf Roping, Steer Wrestling, Team Roping, Saddle Bronc Riding, Girls Barrel Racing, Girls Break Away Roping, and the ever-popular Bull Riding. The rodeo is a very exciting event, and one that is unique to the New England area. Rodeos are very popular in the South West United States, but traditional rodeos are hard to come by in the North East.

“I love going to the Rodeo,” says Cathy Palmer a frequent visitor to the Pond Hill Rodeo. “Several years ago my daughter went with her Girl Scout troop, and they got to camp out and go to the rodeo, and go on a trail ride the next day lead by the people at Pond Hill. It was an extremely memorable experience for her, and one that every horse loving kid should have.” While it is a bit of a drive if you are in Northern or Central Vermont, the Pond Hill Rodeo is a great family experience for horse lovers.

There are many other places for horse lovers to enjoy themselves in Vermont. Many other bed and breakfasts in the area will offer horse activities, and riding is one of the best ways to experience foliage season in Vermont.

If you are looking for something fun to do that is at a low cost and has something fun for everyone, the Vermont Maple Festival may be the right place for you. It takes place this year April 15th through April 17th in St. Albans, Vermont. Admission is free to get into the festival, but there are some events that do cost a little bit extra to participate in.

The theme of this year’s festival is “It’s Always Sweeter in Vermont in the Spring”. “As many as 50,000 people annually converge on the city of St. Albans o attend the event, sharing in the fun, food, festivities and educational opportunities,” says media relations representative, Betty Ann Lockhart. The Vermont Chamber of Commerce also ranks the Vermont Maple Festival to be one of the top ten summer events.

The list of daily activities seems to be endless. Everything starts off Friday, April 15th at ten in the morning with multiple exhibits and activities opening up. There are an abundance of places for kids to explore as well as adults, which is why I would recommend this event to you if you want to have fun while still learning about Vermont culture.

Some of the activities include but are not limited to: a craft and specialty foods show, an antique show, a stage full of performers, a pancake breakfast, a talent show, a maple buffet dinner and so much more. Some of these events are free but it was made clear that there are some that guests are asked to pay to attend. Some of these include but again are not limited to: face painting, the exhibit hall, the cooking contest, maple king and queen contest and the parade.

The festival is spread out quite a bit throughout the town, but you don’t have to worry about walking everywhere if there were to be poor weather or if there is any health concern. There is a free shuttle bus on Saturday, which runs every fifteen minutes from Collins Perley to the antique show, craft show, exhibit hall and the park.

This event is solely run with volunteers as well as multiple sponsors. As soon as this festival is over, it is never to soon to start planning the next festival that following week. There are over 25 sponsors and most of them are local to Vermont and the northern new England region. Each sponsor helps with a specific part of the festival, which makes the event truly come together. Without the volunteers and sponsors the Vermont Maple Festival wouldn’t be able to offer the great services that it has for the past 45 years.

If you are looking for some great recipes, the Vermont Maple Festival also puts out a new edition for their popular cookbook every season. It does cost a fee to purchase it and have it shipped to your home, but it is filled with many maple recipes to help keep your appetite satisfied.

If you happen to be visiting St. Albans from out of state, there are numerous places for you to stay overnight. There are some hotels within St. Albans as well as the surrounding area if you were to explore around Vermont for the weekend. Restaurants are also available for meals outside of the fair in St. Albans and the towns nearby. All of the recommended areas are listed on the festival’s website for your convenience in travel planning.

Overall, the Vermont Maple Festival is an inexpensive way to take your family for a good time. The amount of fun is hoped to be equivalent with the amount of knowledge that will be absorbed while attending the various events. The website has more information about each event and where it will take place as well as a basic schedule of events. I hope you found this to be helpful in your travels this Spring or to help you plan for next year’s Vermont Maple Festival fun.

]]>https://hiddentreasuresofvt.wordpress.com/2011/04/22/45th-annual-vermont-maple-festival/feed/0Teri-Coreyarianna1322Over the River and Through the Woods — On a Roller Coaster?https://hiddentreasuresofvt.wordpress.com/2011/04/22/over-the-river-and-through-the-woods-on-a-roller-coaster/
https://hiddentreasuresofvt.wordpress.com/2011/04/22/over-the-river-and-through-the-woods-on-a-roller-coaster/#respondFri, 22 Apr 2011 17:07:58 +0000http://hiddentreasuresofvt.wordpress.com/?p=135By Kate Dubenetsky

A 1,600-foot climb above the treetops of the Green Mountains followed by a 375-foot drop, reaching speeds of 25 miles per hour. The 3,100 foot long coaster track, runs along the contours of Okemo Mountain Resorts, Jackson Gore, taking riders through the woods on a series of waves, camel backs, and banking loops, delivering you back to the bottom of the mountain. Riders walk away breathless and wind whipped, ready for another round. “That was awesome!” Exclaimed a rider disembarking from the car, “I thought we were going to go flying into the trees!” Welcome to Okemo’s newest attraction the “Timber Ripper”.

While it may not be the Superman ride at Universal studios, it is still a thrill, and an outdoor scenic one at that. Passengers can ride two at a time in the sled like cars that are equipped with a hand break so drivers can control their speed and their experience. The coaster is built on stainless steel tubular rails, which allow for a smooth run down the mountain, minus all the twists and turns. “I usually am not a huge fan of roller coasters,” says visitor Brittany Sweeney, after taking her first ride on the coaster, “but that was exciting! I’m glad I got talked into it, can we go again?”

There are currently six other Mountain Coasters in the United States at ski resorts including Jiminy Peak in Massachusetts, and Cranmore and Attitash in New Hampshire. Since opening in November, Okemo’s “Timber Ripper” has been reviewed as the fastest and most exciting coaster yet.

The “Timber Ripper” is meant to be a year round attraction and is able to operate in most weather conditions. “I will definitely come back and go during foliage season,” says a “Timber Ripper” rider fresh off the track, “it’s a little cold right now, but it should be beautiful in the fall!”

To install the coaster Okemo worked with Alpine Recreation Ventures, a company based in San Francisco, California that partners with ski resorts to bring new and exciting activities to their visitors. Many ski resorts today are struggling and need to increase their traffic in the summer. Alpine Recreation Ventures helps by partnering with ski resorts to install attractions such as mountain coasters, zip lines, and alpine slides. Giving visitors the adrenaline and thrills they are looking for when they cannot hit the slopes or are looking for a different activity to break up their ski vacation.

The “Timber Ripper” when working at optimal efficiency is expected to accommodate nearly five hundred riders per hour, so lines should never be a problem for visitors. Visitors can purchase ride packages, and the price differs for drivers and riders. For a single ride the driver price is $13 and the rider price is $9. You can purchase packages of three, five, or ten rides, group rates are also available for groups of twenty people or more. Tickets for the coaster are purchased at the Jackson gore Resort Services at Okemo.

While the coaster is open year round, visitors will want to check the calendar online at www.okemo.com due to seasonal hours they are subject to change based on weather and maintenance. Like most amusement rides there are also height and weight restrictions. Drivers must be 48” or taller to operate the sled and riders must be 36” or taller to ride. The maximum combined weight of both passengers cannot exceed 330 lbs.

More and more of these adrenaline-pumping attractions are being installed at ski resorts around the country, in an effort to create more of a summer vacation destination. Travelers looking for a thrill should be on the lookout for mountain coasters, zip lines and water parks, so that they can make their vacation one to remember.

(BURLINGTON, VT)–The Hash House Harriers are drinkers with a running problem, or so they say. Actually, they seem to have no problem running with bellies full of PBR.

The Burlington Harriers are just one chapter of network of runners that spans the globe with almost 2000 Hash groups in 185 countries. The first group started running in Malaysia in 1938; the idea was to mimic hounds on a hunt, but without the keen sense of smell, men relied on a paper trail to guide them.

Today, the group welcomes dogs to join them, but requires that all humans are at least 21 years old, as their hunt leads them to a table of beer.

A woman who goes by “Easy Access” explains that each week there are two “Hares” who map out a course. After socializing, the group starts their run and follows a series of chalk markings on the sidewalk. Some markings dictate the direction to run, some encourage the group to lift up their shirts as a trade-off to avoid a longer run.

The markings lead to a pre-determined location where cold beer awaits them. The groups takes a break from running, enjoys some cold beer, and then sets of in search of the next beer stop.

“We’re all of drinking age,” Easy Access assures me. The youngest members in the group are 21, the oldest somewhere near 50.

The first run of the season started from City Hall Park on March 30th. A group of four or five has formed by 6:00.

“We tell people a time to come and expect that they’ll be late,” a man who goes by “Money Shot” informs me.

So what’s with the names in this group? Easy Access tells me that everyone gets a name based on something funny that happens. The other group members pick the name after a few runs together. Other runners have names like “Puppy Chow” and “Brokeback Lumber Jack.” Some names are more explicit and these runners prefer to remain anonymous.

Meredith (who prefers not to reveal her nickname) describes the group as unique, “everyone’s got their quirks about them.”

As more and more Harriers trickles into the park, the warm greetings and conversations multiply. The club seems to be less about running, and more about socializing and drinking; no one seems too eager to start running.

“There’s no pressure to be competitive,” a runner named Meredith explains.

The runs can be anywhere from two to five miles, with two or three stops along the way. The Harriers run the streets of Burlington, through the parks, to the beach, and sometimes to each other’s houses.

Most group members are avid runners; one is a regular marathon runner. Others are here for the social aspect and keep a slower pace.

“It’s very social,” she explained. After a run, they’ll usually head out for drinks, sometimes they go to the movies, go sledding, or even go on trips together.

While they meet weekly in the warmer months, there are events throughout the year. The “Hangover Hash” took place on New Years Day, and they have “Full Moon” runs on weekends.

While the group welcomes new members, they can be somewhat hard to find. The website dedicated to the group has no contact information, no names or phone numbers. What you will find is a list of upcoming events, and if you’re lucky, the meeting place. Most members find the group through friends; appropriately enough, Meredith heard about it at a bar.

I was blown away by what the cafe and bakery, Cupps, had to offer. When I met with one of the owners, Gretel-Ann Fischer. The bakery is hidden beneath the Spinner Place complex off of the traffic circle in Winooski.

Co- owners Gretal-Ann and her husband, Brian, met in culinary school at Paul Smiths College in New York.

After earning her degree with a minor in pastry, she moved to Vermont and never looked back.

The business had grown too big so she decided to make the big move to Winooski. Fischer already made a name for herself by creating her business from home formerly known as Fischer’s Fancies, which allowed her to keep her customer base while gaining more customers by moving.

The grand opening was in November and things have been going well for the business. She hired two full-time employees who happened to be her previous interns, as well as many other staff members.

With a lack of competition in Winooski directly, there are some bakeries in Essex Junction who may pose a threat. “We’re different than them. Even though they are bakeries, we specialize in three dimensional cakes,” Fisher answered when asked about her worries regarding local competition.

“My favorite things to make are definitely the 3-D cakes. The largest one was a margarita cake that I just did and was over two and a half feet tall,” explains Fischer. Everything on her cakes is edible and looks stunningly real.

In Cupps, a plethora of items to choose from overwhelms customers when they walk in the front door. The chalkboard menus on the wall list various items for purchase other than cakes. Everything is created from their personally crafted recipes, which adds unique flavors to each product. The owners are also strong believers in the use of natural products, which are used whenever possible in every product possible.

Specialty breads, Panini’s, soups, cupcakes, pastries, muffins and more line the glass shelves in the front of the register. Customers are able to see right into the kitchen where everything is handmade. Those passing by on the street are also able to see cakes being put together right in the front window.

Fischer has been promoting her business though Facebook but relies heavily on viral marketing through radio or web. She has been looking seriously into blogging and creating a Twitter account, which will both come with time. A blog has already been incorporated to the new website. With spring weather arriving quickly, Cupps will be open again on Sundays in May for Vermont Restaurant Week. Outdoor seating will also become available as the weather allows and a handful of new additions to the menu will be made for sandwiches, soups and salads in May as well.

Cupps Bakery not only has a great feel to it when you walk in, but the prices are the same as any average café and bakery price.